Long way
by Emerald-eclipse
Summary: Komano 's thoughts on karuta and the Mizusawa Team. "They have come a long way. And they have got there together." One shot.


**Disclaimer:**__I don't own Chihayafuru.

Komano thinks that they have come a long way. It was the summer of their Senior Year, the last chance to play in a Team Tournament as the Mizusawa High School Karuta Club. Komano pushes up his glasses looking at the cards in front of him. He absentmindedly adjusts two of them thinking about the past three years.

Where would he be now if Ayase never came to get him? Where would he be now if Mashima didn't shake him out of his apathy? Where would he be now if Kana-chan didn't stick around with him? Where would he be now if Porky wasn't patient in his teachings?

Where would he be indeed?

Komano glances up and catches the eye of Hanano-san. She nudges Tsukuba-kun with her elbow and the two of them give him thumbs up, Hanano-san adding a cheeky wink and Tsukuba doing that weird, creepy thing with his tongue. Komano shudders, shakes his head, and looks back down at his cards but a smile stays firmly on his face.

He still stands by the fact that all karuta players were a bunch of weirdoes with even weirder quirks. But karuta was amazing because it allowed all those weirdoes, himself included, to feel accepted whenever they kneeled on a tatami mat and whenever they listened to Ogura Hyakunin Isshu.

Before karuta, he never knew there was anything else that could bring him satisfaction other than getting good grades. Before karuta he never realized what it feels like to try your damn hardest at something other than studying. Before karuta he never realized that you could cry for your losses as well as from your wins.

And most importantly, before karuta he never realized that the happiness of seeing his teammates win could be much stronger and more rewarding than any of his own victories.

Karuta takes you in and spits you out changed. It sheds any defenses you might have erected to protect your image, laughs at them while stomping around screaming and exposing your raw true self to the world to see.

He thinks that the only time he gets glimpses of the real Mizusawa team members is when they all play karuta.

On the surface, Ayase seems like any other pretty girls. People look at Mashima and think that he is just a smart _ikemen_. To others, Nishida seems like an ordinary glutton and Kana-chan is just another Japanese culture otaku.

Playing karuta showed him that there was more than that to each of them.

It was true that Ayase-san was an airhead, a total klutz who had a one-tracked mind. But her passion for karuta was unrivaled, her devotion for the team somewhat smothering yet assuring. She was greedy, frighteningly so, but it wasn't out of selfishness. She strongly believed in herself and in all of them. Believed that they could all win. Ayase-san was the fire that could never be extinguished, burning brightly, giving strength and providing warmth.

Then there was Mashima who although brilliant was not a karuta genius. He wasn't perfect and he never got lucky. Mashima had an uncanny ability of quickly getting over his losses. He took them in strides and went with the flow. In the beginning, Komano thought it was a sign of humility. Only later did he realize that the Prez was surprisingly an insecure fellow, unsure of his place in the world of karuta. His acceptance of his losses was more because he thought he didn't _deserve _to win. Despite his insecurities, the Prez still tried his best, all the while helping his teammates along the way. Mashima was thus the wind of the group. Weak and kind of useless when unsure, strong and forceful when on the war path. A comfortable presence at their backs, he was there to push them forward. Komano will never forget that it was Mashima who freed him from his school desk and his self imposed chains. He believed that when Mashima finally lets go, he will become an unstoppable gale that will blast through the world of karuta.

Porky was the unyielding defensive player on the team. He had great game-sense, honed from years of hard-work and training. Porky was the objective and realistic voice of the group. He stated things as they were, leaving others to make their choices not because he didn't care but because he knew that they had it in themselves to decide on their own. Porky was like the earth. Strong and unmovable, cold and uncaring on the surface, but in truth nurturing and supportive.

Last but not least, was Kana-chan who was a calming presence to Ayase-san's untamable spirit. She was always ready to listen, say a kind word and give advice, often in words of a long gone author. Kana-chan whose love for the Japanese literature was pure and unparalleled, who understood karuta and the poems of Hyakunin Isshu more than anybody else. Kana-chan who despite being ridiculed for her passion still held her head high no matter what. Kana-chan who didn't hold grudges, and who was quick to smile and cry. Kana-chan who easily _forgave,_ like it's no biggie, because she understands that the other person is also hurting. Kana-chan reminded him of water. Life-saving, calm and quiet one day, strong and deadly the next.

Komano used to think he wanted to be like Mashima, but playing karuta made him realize that it was ok to be himself. He was small and couldn't build muscles for the life of him. But he was smart and could utilize his brain in analyzing and strategic planning. Karuta showed him that he could change. He could now run non-stop for more than an hour, memorize card placements in under five minutes. He had friends who would laugh with him and cry for him. He had friends at his side, all fighting for the same goal.

Karuta exposes all their weaknesses, yet allows their strengths to shine. It can bring out the worst in them but also show them in the best light possible. Karuta gave them the chance to become the best versions of themselves.

"_Naniwa zuni…"_

Komano comes back to reality when the first few words of the _Joka_ are recited out loud. He glances to his right and takes a good look at his teammates. Porky was staring down at his cards doing final memorization. Ayase-san was already positioned to take cards. Mashima was kneeling in a meditative pose, back straight, eyes closed, breathing deeply in and out. Lastly he looked at Kana-chan. She was looking at the reader with a small smile on her lips. When she notices his stare, her smile widens a bit, dimples appearing in her cheeks, eyes lighting up even more. He returns the smile, a blush dusting his cheeks. A second later, they both turn back to their own cards.

"_Ima wo haru-be to sakuya kono hana" _

Komano takes a deep breath to center himself, waits…

"_Chihayafuru…"_

..and all but pounces at the correct card. Multiple slaps against the tatami mats reverberate around the room and when all the Mizusawa team member get up to pick up their flying cards, Komano can't help but grin at them in happiness and with pride.

They have come a long way. And they have got there together.

End

7/25/2013 Shoot me please. I can't stop writing.

I tried keeping the Japanese limited to –san, and –chan usage but a few words still weaseled their way into the story.

Ikemen – slang (I think) for "good looking guy" *cough*Taichi*cough*

Joka – is an introductory poem which is not part of Ogura Hyakunin Isshu. The purpose is to let the players get used to the reader's voice, reading style and rhythm (or so a certain website says). Currently, the "Naniwa zuni" poem is used during the official tournaments and that is what is used in the Chihayafuru manga/anime.

My love for Taichi bleeds through. I tried really hard to keep his description shorter than Kana's but with little success.

My tense usage is crap. But I've been reading up on grammar books so hopefully it will improve over time.


End file.
